Measurement devices which are also denoted as measurement instruments or measurement apparatus are used to determine parameters, conditions or generally physical quantities of a system which needs to be measured/tested. Modern measurement devices can typically communicate via the Internet with a remote storage location, for example from a manufacturer's site, to receive upgrades on the measurement software stored in a memory unit of the measurement device. Whilst this may be a convenient way of updating via a wireless or wired web interface, there are also disadvantages of this process, because it may cause an infection of the measurement device with malware, spam data, viruses etc.
Furthermore, measurement devices, for example those used for measuring conditions and physical conditions in a mobile communication network, are often RF sensitive and in this case any radio operation should be avoided at least during the measurement process and also during the configuration process such that an update by means of a wireless web interface is ruled out. For this reason, modern RF-sensitive measuring devices that are operated in an RF-sensitive environment are typically updated by removing the RF-sensitive measurement device from the RF-sensitive environment and by then performing the update in another non-RF sensitive environment. This is, however, very time consuming and especially not always practical, if for example the installation and consequently the upgrading of the measurement devices is very complex.
In addition, also the update or configuration of the measurement software on the measurement device is complex, considering that the measurement software, that is the measurement software package, comprises complex measurement features in a large number (sometimes 1000s of different features) and not all of them are usually required to be used and updated or even to be enabled or configured when an upgrade is desired or necessary. Furthermore, in most cases the measurement environment does not even necessitate the use of all available measurement features of the pre-installed or downloaded software package. For example, considering the case of measuring items in mobile communication networks, the measurement device may need to be upgraded from an UMTS measurement software package to an LTE measurement software package in a measurement device constituted by a network analyzer or similar. Neither for the case of the UMTS software package nor for the upgraded LTE software package the customer/user will have a need for using all measurement features actually available in the respective software package.
Since the measurement/testing software package is so complex, comprising many thousands of different measurement features, the configuration of the actual measurement software and consequently of the measurement device itself is usually done by a sales or service person who knows all these features (and useful feature combinations) and who will directly consult the customer which ones to use for certain measurement tasks or which ones to use additionally to existing measurement features. This can be imagined to be done by selecting features more or less manually from a table of available measurement feature options and by then enabling these measurement features by inputting a license key on the measurement device or by buying and downloading a measurement key from the manufacturer's site through an Internet connection.
Such complicated upgrade or re-configuration of measurement software is therefore typically only done via an email exchange between the customer and the product managers or, as explained, even in a face-to-face meeting with the customer. Not only is such an upgrade or reconfiguration process error-prone, but it also increases the downtime for the customer which results into frustrated or helpless customers. Furthermore, usually the customer does not even know about multi-dependencies between the different software measurement features. Since the customer/user has no opportunity or possibility to request an update, except through an email exchange or a face-to face meeting with the manufacturer, often upgrades are not provided on time for the reason that the RF sensitive measuring equipment is disconnected when carrying out its measurement function and will only be online again to receive upgrades when taken out of the RF sensitive environment.
On the side of the manufacturer, this causes missed opportunities of revenue recognition because a new configuration or upgrade will only be possible when the measurement device is taken out of operation and is reconnected via Internet.
Whilst the download of an upgrade in an RF sensitive environment can be replaced by downloading the upgrade in a wired connection, or by using an USB stick for upgrading the measurement device, there are also techniques for a so-called “incremental update” in order to reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred via either a wired or wireless connection or the USB stick. In this case, a user of the measurement device can, when being connected through Internet, make a request for an update and only receive upgrades for measurement features which require an update whilst the remaining measurement features will remain unchanged. Whilst this decreases the amount of data and time needed for the upgrade or re-configuration, this still does not solve the problem that despite the “incremental upgrade” the user of the measurement device has no idea about suitable options for further packages or measurement features which the maintenance personnel of the manufacturer or the salesperson would recommend. That is, the user will not be provided with preferred and customized upgrades but rather a full upgrade or only at least a complete “incremental update” is performed automatically.
Consequently, there is a need for providing more versatile, comfortable and customer-oriented configuration and upgrade techniques of measurement software for measurement devices.